Collapsible trailer



Dec. 14, 1948. NELSON 2,456,013

COLLAPSIBLE TRAILER Filed Sept. 27, 1946 v 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATroR/vn Dc. 14, 1948. A. M. NELSON I 2,456,013

COLLAPSIBLE TRAILER Fiied Sept. 27, 1946 i I s Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 14, 1948.

Filed Sept. 27, 1946 A. M. NELSON 2,456,013

COLLAPSIBLE TRAILER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. flonazswr M Memo/v, 056543610. 81/ MAW/E YI/V/TT', zxzcamlx.

A T TOR/V1. K

Patented Dec. 14, 1948 .Adelbert M. Nelson, deceased, late of Milwaukee,

Wis, by- Minnie witt, 'exeout ix, MiIWaukee,

1 1 15 15111mam September 27, susi'seriaf No. 699,309

' Another object ;off'the iinventionf is "to-provide a trailer thatfey befoidediintoecompact unit when not-irriuseif 3 j 'fStfll another object of-the invention is to-provitie 'a'traiiewtha'rt oztnbe' equipped-with a; body spece- -whenfthe tra'flei is not use.

sti-1-1fu'*hei object of'the inventionis to 'prwitiea traiier thet may be -fbi ded in ax-m-ax'nner "so; that -the-*whee1s a fol dedlposition -ma-y be employedfof cooveyi-ngthe folded unit into a, convenient'-*storage--space; r

A furtherob iect-of the invention is to provide ev-trailer thalt may be locked in-e'i'ther-anopened ofoiose d position for'saifetyr" g It is manifestto 'anyon'ejfannl'iai' with-trailers andtheir-"use that'they are very'often clumsy eunibersomein sti uetuieand" do not readily adapt themselves fbr' -st'orag e i n a. small amount of' '"spece,'-a-1 ic1 =very ;dften take up valuable storage spaoewhen-hotm use: The d eviee illustratedi-deseribedhiid claimed herein provides adevine tha t is con strueted rigidly and safely for useas a trai1en yet-arranged and. constructed in a mamaer -=to perm-it it to b'e collapsed 'and folded mto-QaPm'imin-umspeee'when not-in use.

Other endfurther-objeots of the'invention will bee-ms apparent; as thedescription proceedsond when takenin con-junction with-the drawing in Figure 1 is av si'de view" of theassem-bleddevice in:its urifolded' posi tiomready for use on the mad? g 1 I "fignrmmisxw izeakr \iiewof the device asishown *Fi'gure 3 is -a si de vi'ew of the device -in a folded vertical position; withits::wheeisextended "down ward from the bed ynpoition topermit it be'ing eumveyedfito-dts storageaspace. I 1 1 ut-Eigurezixis m 'fnagmentany rear view of the axle anditheawheet mounting arrangement. :iEigure:5.is1a;ibottomaviewmofiithe trailer in its openatingi-pos'rtionuwhena used-on: theroad: i fi'igurelfi' iswdifnagmentary'view of the bottom showing the-locking arrangementin a position whereby the'wheei 'isfolded towaidthe'bndy.

Fi'gui'e -8- is --a -bottom View of the trailer' as show-n' mPigure-fi-with' the spring mounting fordedto-a position-where theax1e-and spring are prought in-contaet with the-bottom of" the trailer bod-y {for compaot'f'oiding assembly; j *Figuref 'isarfragmentaryside view' of the toggle sno -link arrangement illustrating the-various positions-"that "the link takes, in phantom:

Figure- 10 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the trzii er body.

unit that may be folded compactly; to'-conserve of thetaxle amlwmeel assembly showing'the wheel ioekingara'nrmigementrzirn i aw position whereby the iventiaailflyndisposedi. EEiEHIEL'YJiS'iHKSimiI-WI miewzas shown'in Ei f-FigureH-is-owrearview of'the tra'ier bod'ywith them-out and rear tail gatesfolded down, and

Figure '12'is a rear View" of thetraiier hodyin a- "foi eied position.

-' Similar characters of reference indicate cor"- responding parts throughout the severalviews "am'i rei'erring' new to the same device primarily 'eonsistsof a'hody portion I 0, 2, spring mounting I I- a n--a-xle 2l ait 'thbottom of the spring H, wheeis mounted -tothe ends of the axle 24',

the -hody portfom l fl pi'ovitfd with aqpair of slides l 4- and= I 4 'eotangu-lar' frame l 5 engaging --the slides-"lw an 4' at the'bottomof said bodyportionlm the some l 5='-actin'g as a support for' the dmvw bar 1 61' rhefiame l5 isfurther provided with-peering 1 1 rotatably supporting across member 1$ acting 'asa support for the-"spring mounting l l. The ehannelsim aud t-Mattachedtothe bottom 'of the trailer means of screws or -rivets i=9 'actas agui de for the twochannelszfl'end 20 forming-- siiiemembers "to the frame structure '15. These men rbess 213i and 20 have bearings N ettaehed fltfiereto and -these--bearings 1 Fact "as .a rotatash-iesupp'ort for a cross member-shown as-YB to whioh the spring H is attaohed. The spring isiguided' within-"theehannel' 2| supported by'the cross member-N. The springI-l is further pro vided with shackles 22 and 22 at each" ofits ends, attachefito extending supports23 and 2 3" mounted to-the top of theaxl'e portion 'shown as 24".

"The ends-ofthe axlefl are provided with the shackles '25 and 25" equipped withthe king pin z6 'a'i1jd these shackles '25 'and "25 are provided with o'utw-ardiy extending wheel axles shown" as E1 wwnmn che wheels l3 are rotatasbiyazttached. This leeves-" the wheelsfii free to fold inwardby means of' the hinge provided" by'the king pin 26 on *the sha-okles- 25 and25", which king-pinextend-s into ti'ieends'o'fitheaxle 24. 1 There' is ai ti i'amgularshaped hinge-member 28 ezttached tothe shackles 25 :and 25 This-"hinge memhen mifis attached to a locking memberin the form of a channel 29 by means of a link 30. The channel hinge member 29 is provided with an aperture 36' which permits a pin, not shown, to be dropped into the apertures 30' to lock the wheels in a vertical position as shown in Figure 6, and when the pin is removed the triangular bracket 28 is pulled inwardly at its upper edge by means of the link 30. The wheels 13 then fold to a position where they are longitudinal with the bottom of the trailer body I for storage position as shown in Figure 3. Obviously, the wheels may be locked in that position if desired, in a retrieved or storage position.

The draw bar 16 which is attached to the frame l at 3| is provided with a clamp 32 in the form of a spring actuated latch to retainthe axle .24 in a position when it is held against the frame l5 when the device is in a folded position,

The draw bar I6 is further provided with a toggle assembly 33 consisting of a rigidly attached channel member 34 which is attached to the draw bar l6 by means of bolts or rivets shown as 35. There is a link member 36 which is hingedly attached to the channel member 34 at 31 and pro- .vided with a resilient member 38 shown in the form of an expansion spring attached to a cross rod 39 extending across the link member 36 and engaging an open slot 40 in the channels of the member 34 when the device is in an open or open ating position at which time a pin, not shown, may be inserted into the apertures 4| and 4| in the member 34, and the link 36, respectively. The cross rod 39 extends across the link member 36 4 over and above one another by means of the yoke members 42 and 42' hingedly attached to the axle member 24 and to the link member in the toggle assembly 33 attached to the draw bar Hi. When the trailer body Ill is brought downward to rest onto the axle 24 the wheels l3 are folded inwardly as shown in Figure 3 by the manipulation of the hinge arrangement as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the entire unit is set on edge for storage.

Obviously, the body portion of the trailer may be of any design or shape. In the drawings is shown a box type of body that has its four sides hingedly supported to the bottom board of the and acts as a support for a pair of yoke members 42 and 42', it being attached to the yoke members at each of their extreme ends. The other end of each yoke member is attached to the axle 24 at 43 and 43' by means of hinge pins 44. Thus when ,the toggle assembly 33 has the link member 36 in a position as shown in Figure 5 it will cause the axle 24 to be brought into direct alignment and below the shaft l8 which is hingedly attached to the frame l5 by means of the bearings l1. And when the link member 36 of the toggle assembly .33 is brought to the position as shown in Figure 8,

the axle 24 will be brought against the bottom of the-trailer body H] as shown in Figure 8, and will are adjacent to the trailer body as shown in Figure 3 and the body l0 may be slidably moved by means of the frame assembly l5 engaging the slide members l4 and I 4 and it may be retained in any position by inserting a pin 45 into any one ,of the apertures 46 in the draw bar l6 and through the bracket 4! attached to the lower end of the trailer body I0.

, It is manifest to anyone skilled in the art that the frame l5 supports the body of the trailer Ill and may be slidably adjusted by virtue of its engagement with the slide plates l4 and I4 attached to the body of the bottom plate of the trailer. The frame is provided with a cross member it! supported by bearings I! to the frame and this cross member l8 has a channel 2! attached thereto acting as a support for the semi-elliptic spring ll attached at both of its ends by means of shackles 22 and 22' to an axle member 24 which has the wheels [3 attached to the outer ends of the axle member 2'! and pivoted by means of the king pin 26. The axle and cross member 24 and I8, respectively are held in longitudinal alignment trailer shown as 48. The two side boards 49 and 49 are hingedly supported at 50 to the board 48 and the end boards 5| and 5|" are shown hingedly attached at 52 and 52', respectively. There are socket members 53 employed for supporting stakes, not shown. However, the shape and contour as well as the method of attachment of the side boards to the body'board may be suited to the particular requirements. It is imperative, however, to fold the side boards against the bottom board and against one another to consume as little space as possible so that when the entire device is in a folded position it will take up a minimum of storage space, which after all, is the purpose for which it is intended.

It is also manifest that the device may be retained in a folded or unfolded position by means of the necessary pins as outlined-in the drawing claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent in the United States is:

1.A device of the character described comprising in combination, a body, said body having floor boards and side boards hingedly attached in a manner to permit the side boards to be folded against said floor boards, an axle extending transversely across said body, said axle provided with wheel support members hingedly attached to each of its ends, a pair of wheels, locking means attached to said axle for retaining said wheel supports in either a vertical or horizontal position, a rectangular frame, said frame slidably attached to the bottom of said body, a

spring, said spring attached to said axle, a draw bar, said draw bar attached to said rectangular frame, said axle and spring hingedly attached to said body, means for adjusting said wheels from a vertical to a horizontal position, and means for adjusting said axle and spring assembly from a vertical to a horizontal position.

2. A trailer of the character described comprising a body, said body provided with a floor board and side boards hingedly attached in a manner to permit their being folded flat against said floor boards, an axle extending transversely across said body, said axle provided with wheel support members hingedly attached to each of its ends, a pair of wheels, locking means attached to said axle for retaining said wheel supports in either a vertical or. a horizontal position, a rectangular frame slidably attached to the bottom of said body, a draw bar, said draw bar attached to said rectangular frame, a cross member, bearing members attached to said frame for supporting said cross member, a spring, said spring mounted to said cross member at its central point and having its outer ends attached by means of shackles to said axle, said axle and spring hingedly attached to said body by means of said cross members, means for adjusting said wheels from a vertical to a horizontal position and means for adjusting said axle and spring assembly from a vertical to a horizontal position, and means attached to said draw bar and arranged to retain the assembly in a folded or unfolded position.

3. A device of the character described comprising a body, said body provided with [a floor board and side boards hingedly attached in a manner to permit their being folded fiat against said floor board, an axle extending transversely across said body, said axle provided with Wheel support members hingedly attached to each of its ends, a pair of wheels, locking means attached to said axle for retaining said wheel support-s in either a vertical or horizontal position, said wheels disposed for engagement with said wheel supports, a rectangular frame, said frame slid-ably attached to the bottom of said body structure, a cross member, 3881- ings attached to said rectangular frame for supporting said cross member, a spring member attached to said cross member, said spring member provided with shackles connecting said spring to said axle, a draw bar attached to said rectangular frame, means on said draw bar for adjusting said axle and spring assembly from a vertical to a horizontal position, and means on'said axles for locking said wheel supports in either a vertical or a horizontal position.

4. A trailer of the character described comprising a body, said body provided with a floor board, an axle extending transversely across said body, said axle provided with wheel support members hingedly attached to each of its ends, a pair of wheels, locking means attached to said axle for retaining said wheel supports in either a vertical or horizontal position, said wheel rotatably mounted on said wheel supports, a rectangular frame slidably attached to the bottom board of said body, a cross member, said member provided with bearings attached to said frame for its support, a spring member attached to said cross member, said spring member provided with shackles connecting said spring to said axle member, a draw bar attached to said frame member, said draw bar provided with a toggle arrangement having yoke members pivotally attached thereto at one end, the other end of said yoke members pivotally attached to said axle for folding said axle and spring arrangement against the bottom of said trailer board, and means for adjusting said axle and spring assembly from a vertical to a horizontal position.

5. A trailer of the character described comprising in combination a body, said body provided with floor board and side boards hingedly attached to one another in a manner to permit their being folded fiat against one another, an axle extending transversely across the body, said axle provided with wheel support members hingedly attached to each of its ends, a pair of wheels, said wheels arranged for engagement with said wheel support members, means attached to said axle for retaining said wheel support members in either a vertical or horizontal position, a rectangular frame slidably attached to the bottom of said trailer, a cross member, bearings attached to the frame for supporting said cross member, a spring member attached to said cross member, said spring member provided with a pair of shackles connecting said spring to said axle member, a draw bar attached to said frame member, said draw bar provided with a toggle arrangement having a yoke member pivotally attached thereto at one end, the other end of said yoke member pivotally attached to said axle for the purpose of permitting said axle and spring assembly to be folded against the bottom of said trailer, means for retaining said axle and spring assembly adjacent to the lower face of said body when said axle and spring are in a folded position, locking mean on said draw bar for retaining said frame structure and body at any pre-determined position, means for adjusting said wheels from a vertical to a horizontal position, and means for adjusting said axle and spring arrangement from a vertical to a horizontal position.

MINNIE WITT. Executrz'a: of the Estate of Adelbert M. Nelson,

Deceased.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 226,138 Welsh Mar. 30, 1880 414,577 Pladeck Nov. 5, 1889 1,652,190 Wills Dec. 13, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 156,845 Germany Mar. 21, 1904 

